Occupy Wall Street

Evan

The Occupy Wall Street movement has got my Commie Sense tingling like it hasn't tingled in a long time.

It's still somewhat small and amorphous, but it's been growing and taking shape over time. Gathering supporters. Defining concerns and goals.

I think a lot of people in the U.S. are incredibly frustrated at the fact that both parties have been entirely coopted by wealthy elites, and that hardly anyone in the political system or the media is taking -- or even seriously discussing -- the steps necessary to address their economic and other political concerns. So they're trying to take matters into their own hands, or at least express their extreme displeasure to the country and the world as a whole.

Are they disciplined? No. Do they have a single message? No. But as noted by Glenn Greenwald in Salon:

very few protest movements enjoy perfect clarity about
tactics or command widespread support when they begin; they’re designed
to spark conversation, raise awareness, attract others to the cause,
and build those structural planks as they grow and develop. Dismissing
these incipient protests because they lack fully developed,
sophisticated professionalization is akin to pronouncing a
three-year-old child worthless because he can’t read Schopenhauer: those
who are actually interested in helping it develop will work toward
improving those deficiencies, not harp on them in order to belittle its
worth.

And now they've released their first official statement, which echoes both the Declaration of Independence and the Port Huron Statement:

As one people, united, we acknowledge the reality: that the future of
the human race requires the cooperation of its members; that our system
must protect our rights, and upon corruption of that system, it is up to
the individuals to protect their own rights, and those of their
neighbors; that a democratic government derives its just power from the
people, but corporations do not seek consent to extract wealth from the
people and the Earth; and that no true democracy is attainable when the
process is determined by economic power. We come to you at a time when
corporations, which place profit over people, self-interest over
justice, and oppression over equality, run our governments. We have
peaceably assembled here, as is our right, to let these facts be known.

I think we might be seeing the birth of a new left-wing, grassroots populist movement in the United States.

I'll try to go down there later this week and check it out. But I'm curious what other people are thinking.

(Plus -- zombies!)

XK

Yes, there's even a blitz of street signs in my area for it with web addresses. Also I posted this in 'Shift earlier: Marines to offer backup to the protestors. Maybes?

Twitter feed is blowing up with it but not really any sounds from my neocon peeps besides the shrug off of 'hippies'. I hope this will spawn the anti Tea Party new Leftist Party.

grant

I'm actually pinning some hopes on the idea that it's not traditionally left-wing. Soldiers and airline pilots.

And this guy I reblogged on Tumblr.

Fair play and equal representation and all that. It really seems like there's a way to bridge the stuff the Tea Party is nominally interested in and the stuff the 99-percenters are aiming for.

The fact that it's been two weeks after the protest started and I can say "the 99-percenters" means that something is working.

grant

Oh, and yeah, I got really intrigued when the Marines (and other servicefolks) started posting on reddit.

Evan

Looks like the Marine story was a bit of a miscommunication.

alistairliv

The economic situation in Europe is getting worse.

Hence the concern about the alternative, much darker scenario in which the financial market pressure on Greece becomes intolerable and triggers a default for which the politicians are not prepared. Market interest rates for the other struggling eurozone countries go through the roof. Banks in the US refuse to extend lines of credit to Europe, where the banks go down like ninepins. Greece decides that the only long-term solution to its problems is to leave the euro, thus triggering a rapid unravelling of monetary union. As in the 1930s, deep economic distress has profound political consequences, fostering the growth of extreme nationalist parties.

alistairliv

And this report says the protests are spreading.

Armed with Twitter, Facebook and shared Googledocs, protesters against corporate greed, unemployment and the political corruption that they say Wall Street represents have taken to the streets in Boston, Los Angeles, St Louis and Kansas City.

The core group, Occupy Wall Street (OWS), claims people will take part in demonstrations in as many as 147 US cities this month, while the website occupytogether.org lists 47 US states as being involved. Around the world, protests in Canada, the UK, Germany and Sweden are also planned, they say.

The speed of the leaderless movement's growth has taken many by surprise. Occupytogether.org, one of several sites associated with theprotest, has had to be rebuilt to accommodate the traffic.

OWS media spokesman Patrick Bruner said: "We have on our board right now 147 US cities. I don't know whether they are occupied or they are planning on being occupied. My guess would be over 30 cities are occupied."

grant

Of course, there's one in my home town. We're the Portland of South Florida. I'll be disappointed if I don't see a stilt-bike in some kind of parade for the cause sometime in the next four weeks.

wonderland

from racialicious blog

"Maybe this is how movements need to maintain themselves, through a
recognition that political change is also fundamentally about everyday
life and that everyday life needs to encompass all of this: there needs
to be a space for a talent show, across from anti-patriarchy meetings,
there needs to be a food table and medics, a library, everyone needs to
stop for a second and look around for someone’s phone. That within this
we will keep centrally talking about Troy Davis and how everyone is
affected by a broken, racist, oppressive system. Maybe, maybe this is
the way? "

one of the best anti-racist activist posts i have read in a long time. very moving:

"And this is the thing: that there in that circle, on that street-corner
we did a crash course on racism, white privilege, structural racism,
oppression. We did a course on history and the declaration of
independence and colonialism and slavery. It was hard. It was real. It
hurt. But people listened. We had to fight for it. I’m going to say that
again: we had to fight for it. But it felt worth it. It felt worth it
to sit down on the on a street corner in the Financial District at 11:30
pm on a Thursday night, after working all day long and argue for the
changing of the first line of Occupy Wall Street’s official Declaration
of the Occupation of New York City. "

XK

That was amazing! and kick ass!

Evan

This is how radical grassroots organizations start.

The next few weeks should be very interesting.

DannyL

I'm watching this with great interest, and no small amount of trepidation, thinking back on how the US state has reacted when faced with dissidence in the past. But fuck the fear for now.

Sekhmet

Okay, now the unions have joined in and SUDDENLY there is coverage on ABC, CBS, CNN...

grant

Well, yeah.

XK

DannyL said: I'm watching this with great interest, and no small amount of trepidation, thinking back on how the US state has reacted when faced with dissidence in the past. But fuck the fear for now.

No one in government is going to bat an eye unless there are suddenly candidates running for office who will enact legislation to enforce regulation of wealth. People can sit in the street all they want (NYC is getting colder by the day now).

The power to it is changing the minds of the middle class that think the parasitic class is the lower class (welfare queens etc) into realizing who has actually taken their pensions and retirement investments. Realty check: it's not the illegal immigrants or the low income POC the endemic racism in the country points to all the time. Look up on the balconies above the protests to the ticks drinking champagne and flaunting stolen wealth.

Evan

Interesting article about that on Hullabaloo: to accomplish any sort of progressive change we need both Democrats in power and a grassroots movement pressuring those Democrats to take left-wing positions.

If Democrats aren't in power, it doesn't matter how many street protests there are -- they'll be ignored. If there isn't a grassroots movement pushing Democrats to be progressive, they'll simply cater to moneyed interests.

And yes, as hackneyed as the phrase is, this is a potential consciousness-raising moment -- if the media covers the protests and gives any sort of serious coverage of and consideration to the protesters' concerns.

wonderland

We are the 99 percent blog, with stories and faces, well worth a look to see the faces of some of the folks who are this movement.

In the UK, I have just heard from a friend that some people have started an occupation camp in solidarity in the middle of Manchester. They have moved to the Peace Gardens. Also have had an invitation via FB to occupy the London Stock Exchange on the 15th. Staying open to the possibility, passing on the news is where I am at with that at the moment.

XK

Evan said: If Democrats aren't in power, it doesn't matter how many street protests there are -- they'll be ignored. If there isn't a grassroots movement pushing Democrats to be progressive, they'll simply cater to moneyed interests.

I'm wondering how much misery the 99% will put up with before 'regulation' stops being a pejorative.

Esiban

Ok, what's really irritating me right now is this bullshit:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/data.tumblr.com/tumblr_lsfbczNElv1qh4zx1o1_1280.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJ6IHWSU3BX3X7X3Q&Expires=1318045316&Signature=qHLxLEEVBhAGPmcNWSSlsPi%2FYuk%3D

Now, I'm excited this takes the North American settler states and their ongoing colonization one serious step further into the mainstream mind. But if you fuck up the google search required to find out that New York is Lenape traditional territory and Algonquin traditional territory is on the Ottawa River watershed in Eastern Canada, five hundred kilometers north, you're doing an incredible disservice to the indigenous nation that is fighting against so many odds for survival.

So I email the artist because I feel it's important if this viral shit's going to bring the poster around the world, to be factually accurate, for the Lenape's sake. Having done indigenous solidarity activist work (with Algonquins, incidentally) the most important thing to keep in mind is that you must take leadership from the community members, but there is no solidarity going on here, it's just some Shepard Fairey wannabe with a rasterized photo of Sitting Bull and when I emailed him he told me that, the Lenape are the "elders" of the Algonquins. Clear he hasn't spoken to members of either nation. I wouldn't care except this misinformation could catch on like wildfire. So, hey, LN, how the fuck do I get this before it becomes a chant on Wall Street and inadvertently, ignorantly, well-meaningly, further erases the Lenape First Nation?

alistairliv

I don't know Esiban. Striking images are tools of propaganda not historical research. Is it possible to use the poster/image as a template and re-work it using more appropriate (Lenape) but equally striking images?

I notice from your link that Lenape loosely translates as "the common people" - which could be a starting point.

For example 'Wall Street is the Common People's Land'

or large bold image of a Wall Street street sign with Lenapehoking pasted over it and underneath

'Restore the Common People's Land'

Then in smaller print explain 'The first people to occupy Wall Street were the Lenape. Lenape means 'the common people'.

Common people in UK English implies the 99% and the 17th century radical Diggers occupied English 'common land' as a protest against enclosure.

But there could still be the danger of cultural appropriation.

wonderland

Do you have any contacts with the Lenape nation? Can you contact other PoC involved locally and ask them to organize with Lenape and well-inclined locals? I would imagine that someone might have suggestions for what to do if you wrote to them saying "Seen this, makes me crazy, do you have any suggestions, I am asking you because I recognize this is traditionally the territory of your nation. Please could you put me in touch with any local activists who could offer advice or whom I might able to support in getting this dealt with properly?" or something like that? Dunno if it would be useful to highlight the discussions above on racialicious in the context of the discussion.

Mordant Carnival

Don't have anything constructive to add, but feelin' the RRAAAAAGGGE. If I see this pic being shared anywhere, will be sure to pass on the info.

XK

@Esiban

I would suggest contacting the main org at the http://occupywallst.org/ . I believe they have forums etc so you can directly explain the issue to the main body.

iconoplast

So... occupy movements have sprung up in a whole lot of other cities. (Also, unrelatedly, in addition to the unions, Anonymous reminded everyone that they've been in solidarity with the occupy movement from the get go)

And it's odd; I thought initially that the goal of Occupy Portland ought to have been to provide material support to Occupy Wall St - sending them hoodies & wool socks - but having hung around the occupation site for a couple of days, now... I'm not so sure.

XK

Occupy Wall Street: The Most Important Thing in the World Now

Don’t give in to the temptation. I’m not saying don’t call each other on
shit. But this time, let’s treat each other as if we plan to work side
by side in struggle for many, many years to come. Because the task
before will demand nothing less.

Very cool.

Evan

Big Yom Kippur service at Occupy Wall Street this weekend.

Possibly as many as a thousand celebrants.

XK

Oh, the inclusion of Palestine in those lists totally had me tearing up. Thanks for posting that!

Gef

Following this developing story with some interest. Question: how unusual are such demonstrations in the recent history of the USA? Here in the UK, especially London, there is a fairly long history of similar anti-capitalist actions going back 20-30 years, to the days of 'Stop the City'. Is there a similar history in NYC or elsewhere in the US? My impression is that this is something new, but correct me if wrong....

grant

The scale is pretty new, I think.

grant

Expect things to have changed by the weekend.

Evan

Planning on going tomorrow.

This should be interesting.

XK

I Am Not Moving.

I should see what's happening in Boston tomorrow.

XK

Buddhist view of Occupy Wall Street.

iconoplast

Glad to hear that New York didn't kick the protesters out for street cleaning.

Portland's General Assembly voted last night at 10PM to march in Solidarity w/ Wall Street, so at 11pm 140 people left the camp and went to Pioneer Courthouse Square for a spontaneous rally there.

I was there as a legal observer, so I wasn't participating, but... man. In retrospect, the idea that 140 people were even at the occupation at 11pm on a thursday, let alone that their absence didn't visible shrink the numbers, is pretty astounding.

(If you're curious, here's a nice writeup of Occupy Portland: http://www.nwcn.com/home/?fId=131876418&fPath=/news/local&fDomain=10202 )

Gef

London is joining in too; starting today

Evan

Finally went to Occupy Wall Street last night around 9 PM or so -- it was quite an experience.

Zuccotti Park is much smaller than I expected, but it was filled with people and activity. An orientation table, a media table, a lending library, a very substantial free kitchen, and all sorts of sleeping spaces. There were two meetings going on at the time: the General Assembly and a poetry reading. They also had their own (very professional looking) daily newspaper with a lead article by Naomi Klein.

There were a few dozen police officers ringing the park and throughout the surrounding blocks, but everyone was mellow -- no conflict at all.

There were roughly 200 people at the General Assembly, with an average estimated age of twenty-five or so, but with people ranging from teens to sixties plus. A very New York crowd, very ethnically and culturally diverse. The primary point they were debating was whether to spend roughly $1,700 of the more than $100,000 in donations they had received on giant puppets for street protests. Some were in favor, others thought it was frivolous while "people were starving." (Personally, I think it would be a good way to attract and focus media attention, and therefore to communicate a message to the public at large. There's enough money to pay for food, too.) After that, there was a discussion about various forms of privilege and their effects on the assembly.

The discussion was conducted via "human microphone": one person would speak a few words, and then everyone nearby would repeat them so everyone in the crowd could hear. Surprisingly effective and powerful, and an interesting ritual for building solidarity and courtesy. People expressed their opinions by holding up their hands and wiggling their fingers up for a positive vote, down for a negative vote. Everyone was remarkably polite and solicitous of others' views, although (as usual) some people's voices tended to dominate.

I'm sure I'll be back in the next few days.

So did anyone go to any of the other Occupy events around the world? (And boy do I love saying that!)

XK

Didn't make it down to Occupy Boston due to being down a vehicle. I do very much want to go participate!

XK

I was chatting with my elder conservative sibling last night about the movement. We discussed how it seems altogether cathartic without seemingly being catalytic at the moment. awareness and community building yes, but effective in terms of voting direction?

Per Evan's comment above about only being effective to influence Democrats, is this non directed movement likely to create effective change in voting behavior rather than a sense of solidarity without measurable results?

grant

Well, one opportunity here is to *educate* - a lot of people I encounter (at least online...) don't know much about rates of CEO pay vs. employee pay. What exactly the one percent IS is kind of a thing.

That kind of information should alter some voting behavior, though maybe not (different people think different politicians have different solutions).

Evan

Yeah -- one really positive result of the protests is that it's driving the political dialogue: for the first time in decades people are discussing economic inequality, and the fact that the wealthy have essentially co-opted the political process throughout the world.

And the protesters are not blaming immigrants or the poor or the Emmanuel Goldstein of the moment for these problems -- they're (properly, in my opinion) blaming the wealthy and their servants in government.

It's the first time in a long time I've seen a left-wing critique of capitalism gain any traction in the media. And now even the conservative parties around the world are having to address these issues. Which is something in itself.

XK

My touchstone here is checking if my middle class conservative relatives are still looking at the 'parasitic underclass' rather than than the 'vampiric overclass'. So far, the main evil is still the supposed Welfare Queen and her illegal ilk.

Liger Null

This is cute.

Thirteen Observations made by Lemony Snicket while watching Occupy Wall Street from a Discreet Distance

1. If you work hard, and become successful, it does not necessarily
mean you are successful because you worked hard, just as if you are tall
with long hair it doesn’t mean you would be a midget if you were bald.

2. “Fortune” is a word for having a lot of money and for having a lot
of luck, but that does not mean the word has two definitions.

3. Money is like a child—rarely unaccompanied. When it disappears,
look to those who were supposed to be keeping an eye on it while you
were at the grocery store. You might also look for someone who has a lot
of extra children sitting around, with long, suspicious explanations
for how they got there.

4. People who say money doesn’t matter are like people who say cake
doesn’t matter—it’s probably because they’ve already had a few slices.

5. There may not be a reason to share your cake. It is, after all,
yours. You probably baked it yourself, in an oven of your own
construction with ingredients you harvested yourself. It may be possible
to keep your entire cake while explaining to any nearby hungry people
just how reasonable you are.

6. Nobody wants to fall into a safety net, because it means the
structure in which they’ve been living is in a state of collapse and
they have no choice but to tumble downwards. However, it beats the
alternative.

7. Someone feeling wronged is like someone feeling thirsty. Don’t tell them they aren’t. Sit with them and have a drink.

8. Don’t ask yourself if something is fair. Ask someone else—a stranger in the street, for example.

9. People gathering in the streets feeling wronged tend to be loud,
as it is difficult to make oneself heard on the other side of an
impressive edifice.

10. It is not always the job of people shouting outside impressive
buildings to solve problems. It is often the job of the people inside,
who have paper, pens, desks, and an impressive view.

11. Historically, a story about people inside impressive buildings
ignoring or even taunting people standing outside shouting at them turns
out to be a story with an unhappy ending.

12. If you have a large crowd shouting outside your building, there
might not be room for a safety net if you’re the one tumbling down when
it collapses.

13. 99 percent is a very large percentage. For instance, easily 99
percent of people want a roof over their heads, food on their tables,
and the occasional slice of cake for dessert. Surely an arrangement can
be made with that niggling 1 percent who disagree.

grant

Funny lines from Lemony Snicket on that here: http://occupywriters.com/by-lemony-snicket

grant

Ha! JINX!

Liger Null

And here I was wondering whether it was more appropriate to post that in this thread or on Lateshift! XD

wonderland

Did you see this "letter from Goldman Sachs" yet?

"It would be tempting, at a time like this, to say “Let them eat
cake.” But at Goldman, we are actively seeking to corner the market in
cake futures. We project that through our aggressive market
manipulation, the price of a piece of cake will quadruple by the end of
2011.

Please contact your Goldman representative for a full prospectus."

grant

Heh.

I have to say, though, I find the Lemony Snicket more... useful?

#6, for example, seems to define a point of view really well.

Liger Null

The mainstream media's reaction in a nutshell:

wonderland

Heh. Yeah, the Lemony Snicket is brilliant, it uses humour to raise some good points.

Esiban

I can't believe it took me so long to figure out how to address the problematic poster business, if the artist was not interested in dialogue:

Please distribute widely!

XK

That's fantastic!

Howdy, Stranger!

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